HISTORY

The Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation connects Sheffield to the Trent and the Aire and Calder Navigation. Much of the waterway was rebuilt around 1980 to cater for heavy commercial freight traffic which never quite lived up to expectations. Parts of the waterway are still industrial, but elsewhere it passes through the attractive wooded Don Valley.

THINGS OF INTEREST ON ROUTE

Moor up at Sprotbrough and visit the Boat Inn which has served the local community of for centuries. Dating back as far as 1652 one famous guests, Sir Walter Scott was said to have written a tract of the novel Ivanhoe. Visit the nearby Sprotbrough Flash which lies in the gorge of the River Don, the area has been a mecca for nature lovers since the nineteenth century.

Managed by English Heritage Coinsbrough Castle has become one of the most popular attractions in South Yorkshire. The lofty 12th century keep of this very well preserved building, now complete with its restored roof and floors. It had a major role to play in the Wars of the Roses and was once owned by Richard of York and with its many reminders of the golden age of knights in armour it makes for a great family fun day out.

Sheffield is England's fourth largest city, providing the wealth of facilities you would expect to find in a major city. A city once famed for the steel industry it featured in the 1997 film directed by Peter Cattaneo and staring Robert Carlyle 'The Full Monty'. It is England's greenest city, with 150 woodlands and 50 public parks, and Britain's first national park, the Peak District, is just minutes away.

Sheffield has many options for shopping addicts and the city centre’s Fargate and High Street has all the shops you would hope for in a large city. The more cosmopolitan area of Eccleshall Road and the Devonshire Quarter are great places to go if you are hoping to looking for something a bit quirkier and great antiques can be found on Abbeydale Road.

Rotherham has a wealth of culture and leisure activities for you to enjoy. Learn more about the history of the area at one of Rotherham's museums or spend an afternoon strolling around an exhibition at the art gallery. Rotherham is an ideal shopping destination with the vibrant indoor and outdoor market which creates a lively atmosphere for families and shoppers all year round. There are a wide selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as a theatre and live music venues.

Doncaster is an historic market town, with a rich horse racing and railway heritage. The town of sits at the very heart of a vast metropolitan area, consisting of green open space and nature reserves. Visitors will be struck by the profusion of colour around the town centre from the dazzling floral displays to the many hanging baskets, planters and window boxes.

In the heart of the town lies Clock Corner, where the Westminster chimes ring out every 15 minutes. Doncaster is full of wonderful restaurants, from Italian to Indian, Mexican to Thai and vegetarian options too. If you are unsure of what to eat, head for Nether Hall Road as this area area has long been established as a great place to eat with a good choice of restaurants and cafes sitting side by side one another.